News and Events for Members, Donors, and Friends

Spring 2014 • Volume 4 • Issue 3
News and Events for Members, Donors, and Friends
PLAY Time
4
5
6
15
Superheroes
Weekend
School-Break
Week
Fairy
House
Magic
Calendar
of Events
Boardwalk
Arcade
Page 2
New Exhibit
Step right up to
Boardwalk Arcade
Back by popular demand! Celebrate seaside amusements in all their
bleeping, blipping, vibrant glory at Boardwalk Arcade, opening May 24.
Step into a scene reminiscent of the 19th- and early
20th- century resorts such as Coney Island and Atlantic
City, where Americans from across the nation flocked for
good old summertime fun.
Journey through the evolution of seaside amusements!
Play a variety of classic carnival games such as ring toss.
Challenge yourself on redemption games such as Skee
Ball, Hoop Fever, Ticket Monster, and Harpoon Lagoon.
Win tickets and use them to collect a variety of prizes,
including stickers, oversized sunglasses, and
stuffed animals.
Laugh at your distorted reflection in silly fun-house
mirrors and then step right up to an oversized beach
cut-out for an unforgettable photo op. Young children
can dig right in for creative play with beach toys at the
Boardwalk Arcade shoreline. What does your future hold?
Spin a wheel of fortune to find out.
More contemporary amusements add to the fun,
including Fruit Ninja, Temple Run, Batman
Whack-a-Villian. Also enjoy an opportunity to play
on historic video arcade machines including Spy
Hunter (1983), Punch-Out!! (1984), Star Wars: The
Empire Strikes Back (1985), Virtua Racing (1992),
Prop Cycle (1996), and The Ocean Hunter (1998).
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PLAY Time • Spring 2014
Rock the high score as you play your way through
the history of pinball gaming at Pinball Playfields
(see page 3). Test your flipper skills on amazing
machines including Hercules, the world’s largest
commercial pinball machine.
Also on display are artifacts from The Strong’s renowned
collections that evoke the history of carnivals and
beachside resorts including toy carousels, chalkware
figurines, and brilliantly colored posters featuring
KAR-MI—the stage name of Joseph Hallworth
(1872–1956), an entertainer who worked in Wild West
shows, circuses, and other venues from the 1890s
to the beginning of World War I.
Boardwalk Arcade remains on view through
September 7. It is produced by The Strong’s
International Center for the History of
Electronic Games.
Sponsored by
Museum Cataloger
Shannon Symonds
with Hercules game
New to Boardwalk Arcade:
Pinball Playfields
New Exhibit
Ballyhoo
playfield
See rare, historic examples and play your way through more than
80 years of pinball history at Pinball Playfields, an all-new exhibit
opening alongside Boardwalk Arcade on May 24. The exhibit traces
the evolution of the pinball playfield—the surface where the ball
ricochets through a maze of lights and obstacles to rack up points—
from countertop games of the 1930s to the sophisticated, electronic
versions that remain popular today.
View three pioneering pinball machines—Ballyhoo (1932), named
after a 1930s humor magazine; Humpty Dumpty (1947), the first
machine to use flippers; and Triple Action (1948), the first game with
two sets of flippers positioned at the bottom of the playfield. Then
pull the plunger and try to rack up high-scores on a field of playable
machines that illuminate the evolution of pinball machine game play,
including Vagabond (1962), FunHouse (1990), Monster Bash (1998),
Lord of the Rings (2003), and Emerald City Limited Edition Wizard
of Oz (2013).
Be one of the few to wrap your arms around Hercules (1979),
the world’s largest commercial pinball machine. The jumbo-sized
machine uses a billiards cue ball and stands seven feet tall. Ron
Halliburton of Arcade Engineering designed the game in 1976 and
the original version created such intense vibrations that it shook
itself apart. Atari purchased the concept, redesigned it to make
it sturdier, and released it in 1979.
View other unique artifacts, including playfield prototypes, original
sketches by pinball-machine designers, and bagatelle-style handheld
pinball puzzles—games with a tilted surface used to guide a ball
through a maze. Then see if you have what it takes to be a pinball
designer and design your own pinball playfield.
Pinball Playfields remains on view through September 7.
It is produced by The Strong’s International Center
for the History of Electronic Games.
Close-up of Monster Bash,
a modern pinball playfield
www.museumofplay.org
www.museumofplay.org
3
Upcoming Programs & Events
© MARVEL
Do-gooders Unite for
Superheroes Weekend!
Saturday & Sunday, April 5 & 6
Zoom in to The Strong for a herofilled weekend, and be sure to bring
your camera! Meet two of Marvel
Comic’s official superheroes—Thor
rumbles in with his trademark
hammer in hand during appearances
on Saturday, April 5, from 11 a.m. to
2 p.m. and 3 to 6 p.m., and Iron Man
rockets in to meet museum guests
on Sunday, April 6, from noon
to 5 p.m.
On Saturday and Sunday, visit with
PBS Kids’ WordGirl and Wonder Red
until 4 p.m. and check out episodes
of the shows.
Professional comic book artists will
be available to share drawing and
writing tips, display art, and sign
autographs. Among the artists will
be Michael Borkowski, storyboard
artist for cartoons including Beware
The Batman, Avengers Assemble,
Scooby-Doo, Wolverine and X-Men;
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PLAY Time • Spring 2014
Chris Pallace, the co-creator of
the iPad app Numbers League,
a software version of the awardwinning card game; Will Perkins,
co-creator and artist of Beware...
Comics! and art director at 215ink
Publishing; and Ken Wheaton, comic
book illustrations instructor and
professional inker for The Simpsons
and the Popeye comic book series.
Was Superman created to fight
bullies? View an engaging display
of comic books spanning nearly 50
years assembled by Alfred University.
Then become a hero at Hero Training
School, where you can sharpen your
skills of agility, strength, and courage
by leaping over buildings, lifting
giant weights, and going on rescue
missions. Take on your own super
persona when you create a
hero headband.
Find out how you and your
family can be healthy heroes!
Discover physical activities that will
get the entire family moving and
learn how to protect the environment
by joining forces with Larry the
H2O hero.
Swing by the museum’s American
Comic Book Heroes: The Battle of
Good vs. Evil exhibit and climb up
the side of a skyscraper, play Whack
A Foe, journey through the golden
age of comic books through
early comic book art, and more.
Courtesy WXXI
Saturday, April 12–Sunday, April 20
Celebrate the art of animation in conjunction with the Animation exhibit
and take a glimpse at animation sketches and movie cels from The Strong’s
collections including Disney classics such as Cinderella, Beauty and the
Beast, Fantasia, Lady and the Tramp, and Steamboat Willy. Make your own
thuamatrope, a Victorian-era toy that creates a single image from two
separate images on a disk when it’s twirled quickly between two fingers. Are
you smarter than the average bear? Test your cartoon IQ! Challenge family
members to guess popular cartoon characters by their silhouette only and
match well-known quotes and phrases to the characters that coined them.
Hometown Heroes
Saturday, May 10, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Celebrate local heroes and meet a firefighter, EMT, and police officer. Check
out a working fire truck from the City of Rochester and an ambulance from
Rural/Metro Medical Services. Learn about fire safety and try on uniforms in
the Fire Safety Smoke Hours—a mobile classroom featuring simulated safety
situations.
Take pictures with heroic dogs, including Siren, the Livingston County Fire
Dog, and Chip, a working K9 with the Greece Police Department. Also greet
Sparky, the mascot for the Rochester Fire Department; Smokey the Bear, pal
of the New York forest rangers; and Monroe County 911 mascot Red. E. Fox. Check out “You Don’t Have to Wear a Cape,” a theater performance at 11 a.m.
and 2 p.m. by Allendale Columbia students. The original, student-written
production tells the tale of Ralph, an imaginative second-grader who wants
to be a superhero, and celebrates the heroic qualities in all people.
Storytime Club
Celebrate the joy of reading.
Hear classic children’s stories
read aloud on select Mondays
at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and be
whisked away on literary
adventures with Storytime Club.
Have your passport punched
once during each visit. Collect
five punches and receive a free
children’s book!
Mondays, April 21 & 28
Celebrating Heroes
Mondays, May 12 & 19
Spring Fling
Monday, June 2
Summertime Tales
Sponsored by
Monday Kicks for
Ages 2 to 6
Join in playful learning activities
with your child at this monthly
series created to help parents
teach little ones important skills
through play. Events run from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Upcoming Programs & Events
Animation April
School-Break Week
Monday, April 7
Animal Pals—Enjoy animal songs
and activities, featuring books by
Eric Carle.
Boardwalk Arcade Opening Celebration
Saturday, May 24, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Discover a carnival of delights during the Boardwalk Arcade opening
weekend celebration. Flower City Vaudeville presents their unique brand
of entertainment with an array of strolling and “pop-up” circus acts. Enjoy
the bygone days of early vaudeville with playful performances that include
unicycle riding, comedy, accordion playing, pantomime, and more.
Monday, May 5
Spring into Action—Enjoy crafts,
books, and activities about gardening
and all things blooming.
Monday, June 9
Let’s Move! Let’s Play!—Get moving
with fitness-themed games and stories.
Sponsored by
www.museumofplay.org
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Upcoming Programs & Events
Fairy House Magic
Saturday, June 7, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
Sunday, June 8, 1–4 p.m.
Save the Date for
the 2014 Play Ball!
If you build them…they will come.
Meet Fairy Houses author and
illustrator Tracy Kane and learn tips
on how to make your own whimsical
fantasy dwelling using recycled and
natural materials—including sticks
bark, and stones.
Enjoy story readings and watch
Kristen’s Fairy House, a short
film starring Kane and her
niece as they go on an island
adventure together. Enjoy an
ethereal musical performance
by Hochstein Scholarship Flute
Choir on Saturday at 11 a.m.
and be charmed by Hochstein Little
Singers on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Meet a woodland fairy, transform yourself into a sprite
or magical creature with a set of wings, follow the clues
during a pixie scavenger hunt, and reenact your own
fairy tale with hand puppets. See a display of handmade
fairy doors, charming hand-painted portals into fairy land,
created by artists Chris Pallace and Kevin Serwack.
Images courtesy
of The Fairy
Houses Tour
All Fairy House Magic Weekend activities are presented in conjunction
with the Fairy Houses Tour at the 46th Annual Corn Hill Arts Festival to
be held July 12 and 13.
Be sure to flutter back to The Strong from Tuesday, July 15 through
Sunday, July 27 for a display of award-winning fairy houses selected from
among the finalists at the Corn Hills Arts Festival Fairy Houses Tour.
Nominate Your
Favorite Toy
Do you have a favorite toy that you’d
like to see enshrined in The Strong’s
National Toy Hall of Fame? Tell us!
Nominations for consideration for
2014 induction may be submitted
on site at the hall or online at
toyhalloffame.org now through
Thursday, July 31, 2014.
Plan a Party at the Museum
Create treasured memories for years to come when you hold your special
occasion at the museum. From family reunions to graduation parties, baby
showers to birthday celebrations, the museum is the perfect place for
your event.
Plan-a-Party packages include a private party room for up to 100 guests,
discounted museum admission, and set up and clean up. A visit
from a Berenstain Bear, face painting, or tickets to Dancing Wings Butterfly
Garden can be added. For information, visit museumofplay.org or call
585-410-6332.
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Mark your calendar for The Strong’s
fourth annual Play Ball gala—
Rochester’s “don’t miss” party for
grown ups only—set for Friday,
September 19, 2014.
Enjoy a fun-filled evening as the
museum is transformed into an
adult-friendly playground featuring
great food and drinks, playful
entertainment, live and silent
auctions, and all the playtime you
like! Tickets are $150 per person,
and sponsorship opportunities
begin at $1,500. All proceeds
benefit The Strong’s education
and outreach programs.
To learn more and view photos
from last year’s Play Ball,
visit theplayball.org.
PLAY Time • Spring 2014
Member News
Member Nights
with the Rochester
Red Wings
Bring the kids and enjoy five nights
of family fun and great baseball at
Frontier Field.
Friday, May 16 at 7:05 p.m.
vs. Columbus Clippers
(fireworks night)
Sunday, June 29 at 1:05 p.m.
vs. Norfolk Tides (post-game run
the bases with Spikes and Mittsy)
Saturday, July 26 at 6:05 p.m.
vs. Indianapolis Indians (fireworks
night and Rochester Philharmonic
Orchestra performance)
Saturday, August 16 at 7:05 p.m.
vs. Syracuse Chiefs (fireworks night)
Saturday, August 23 at 7:05 p.m.
vs. Scranton Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders
(fireworks night and ZOOperstars
appearance)
Museum members can purchase
$6 reserved seating (regularly $8),
$8.50 upper box seating (regularly
$10.50), or $9.50 premium seating
(regularly $12). To purchase tickets,
visit redwingsbaseball.com and enter
promo code playstrong. Tickets
must be purchased online 24 hours
prior to each game. Service fees and
restrictions apply.
Save When You Visit Other Museums
Upgrade your membership to Patron-level to take advantage of
The Association of Children’s Museums (ACM) Reciprocal Network program
which offers a 50% discount off the regular admission fee at participating
museums for up to six people.
To use this benefit, Patron-level members of The Strong simply present a
valid membership card with the ACM Reciprocal Network logo and a photo
ID at any of nearly 200 museums. Discover which museum participate in the
program at childrensmuseums.org.
Patron-level members also receive four single-use guest passes and butterfly
garden passes to The Strong—an incredible $70 value for only $41 more than
the cost of a family or grandparent-level membership. Visit the museum’s
admissions desk or call 585-263-2700 to upgrade today.
Do You Have a
Shops Rewards Card?
On your next visit to The Strong, stop
by the Everything for Play! museum
shop and request a Strong Rewards card. With every
$10 spent in the shops, you earn a stamp on the card.
Earn 10 stamps and receive a $10 shops gift card!
And don’t forget, museum members always save 10% in the Everything
for Play! and Butterfly Garden shops.
www.museumofplay.org
7
Museum
Member News
The Strong
Acquires Strategic
Simulations, Inc.
Collection
A recent major addition to
The Strong’s ever-growing video
game company collections
provides a window into the
history of computer games and
the pioneering companies that
built that industry. The Strategic
Simulations, Inc. (SSI) Collection,
donated by company founder Joel
Billings, chronicles 15 years of SSI
history, from its founding through
its acquisition by Mindscape
in 1994. SSI was the leading
developer of war games and other
computer simulations in the 1980s
and early 1990s. The company’s
ground-breaking first game,
Computer Bismarck (1980), helped
make military simulations a leading
segment of the early computer
game market. SSI also published
sports, finance, and fantasy games,
including the Advanced Dungeons
and Dragons titles licensed from
TSR, and featured some of the
era’s most important developers,
including Dan Bunten (Dani Bunten
Berry) and Gary Grigsby.
The collection includes documents,
market research, company meeting
notes, financial statements,
clippings, company catalogs,
and many other business records
in addition to master code for
Computer Bismarck and a copy
of the computer code for Tank
(unpublished), the first game
Billings ever wrote. Information
about other computer companies
of the period is present as well,
offering a wealth of information to
researchers examining the history
and innovation of that era.
Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
She’s at The Strong!
Did you ever explore the mysterious islands of Myst? Build a pretend
metropolis in SimCity? Track down bad guys in Where in the World is Carmen
Sandiego? Then you have played some of the best-selling games sold or
distributed by Brøderbund Software, Inc., one of the most important electronic
game companies of all time. The Strong is now the home of a collection of
materials, donated by company founder Doug Carlston, that documents both
the history of Brøderbund and the development of the computer games
industry in the 1980s and 1990s.
In addition to being one of the leading producers and distributors of games
for the home computer during the 1980s and 1990s, Brøderbund was also a
major producer of best-selling consumer software such as Family Tree Maker,
Print Shop, Living Books (the title Just Grandma and Me was one of the first
interactive children’s books), and Kid Pix (an art program). Starting with Doug
Carlston’s 1980 game Galactic Empire, Brøderbund grew quickly until by 1986
it was the ninth-largest United States computer software company. By 1997
the company had annual revenues of $190 million. The Brøderbund Software,
Inc. Collection chronicles the firm from its first games released in 1980 to its
acquisition by The Learning Company in 1998.
Comprised of nearly 1,500 games and other pieces of consumer software,
the donation includes copies of virtually every game and product produced
by Brøderbund, as well as titles from their competitors. There are also copies
of original art, production masters, and other disks used in the production
of games; and examples of company signage, awards, posters, promotional
materials, board game versions of their products, and other related items.
An extensive collection of archival materials including corporate records
reveal tremendous insights into the workings of Brøderbund specifically
and computer software companies in general. Business records including
internal company newsletters, strategic plans and other long-term planning
documents, competitive market research, company meeting notes, financial
statements, news clippings, company catalogs, photographs, correspondence,
and miscellaneous business documents illuminate the company’s domestic
and international operations. Also included are numerous records related to
the Software Publishers Association trade group, of which Doug Carlston
was president and chairman. These records provide insight into the software
industry in the 1980s.
The Brøderbund Software, Inc. Collection enhances the museum’s leading
collection of materials related to video game history and complements recent
acquisitions of materials from industry pioneers Ken and Roberta Williams,
Joel Billings, and Will Wright.
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PLAY Time • Spring 2014
Introduced in 1974, Dungeons &
Dragons ushered in the beginning
of the modern role-playing game
industry and established a new
genre of play—fantasy wargaming.
Dungeons & Dragons celebrates
its 40th anniversary this year and
important holdings in the museum’s
collections underscore the game’s
impact on play and American culture.
In addition to nearly 500 different
artifacts related to pen-and-paper
and electronic versions of Dungeons
& Dragons, The Strong owns dozens
of rare early documents related to
the formative years of its publisher,
TSR, Inc. Founded by Gary Gygax,
Dave Arneson, Don Kaye, and
Brian Blume, TSR—originally
Tactical Studies Rules and later
TSR Hobbies—revolutionized the
world of gaming with its products.
Materials at The Strong help
document the evolution of the
company and its products.
The museum’s library contains
numerous issues of magazines,
such as The Dragon, Strategic
Review, and White Dwarf, intended
for serious role-playing gamers
during the 1970s and 1980s, as well
as trade catalogs, works of fiction,
and other publications. Archival
holdings include significant
documents, such as TSR in-house
newsletters and GENCON
conference information packets
that belonged to Gary Gygax, as
well as correspondence and other
materials related to Dungeons &
Dragons from former TSR
employees, important game
designers, and influential gamers.
is best known in the United States as the leading advocate for the Reggio
Emilia approach to early childhood education, which emerged after World
War II in the northern Italian town that gives this approach its name. (See
related story below.)
Recent gifts by Gandini established the Lella Gandini Early Childhood and
Children’s Folklore Collection at The Strong. The collection spans Gandini’s
career in education and includes books written by her; scores of other works in
English and Italian on topics such as childhood development, early childhood
education (especially the Reggio Emilia approach), and folklore; and children’s
books from her personal collection. Also included are research notes,
presentations, scholarly articles, and other documents created or used by
Gandini throughout her career.
Museum News
Lella Gandini Early Childhood
Dungeons &
and Children’s Folklore Collection
Dragons Materials
Reveal a Revolution Established at The Strong
A student of children’s folkways, Italian-born author and teacher Lella Gandini
in Gaming
Reggio Model at Core of The Strong’s
Early Childhood Programs
In November, Debbie McCoy, director of early
childhood programs and Woodbury School,
participated in a North American study group
that toured and observed the environments
and experiences of the schools in Reggio
Emilia, Italy. Jo Anderson, senior advisor to the
United States secretary of education; several
members of Project Zero, an educational
research group at the Harvard Graduate
School of Education; and others from educational
and cultural institutions across the country
rounded out the 120-member contingent.
The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood
education emerged after World War II in the
northern Italian town of the same name. The
approach is the foundation for The Strong’s
Woodbury School and underscores the museum’s
mission to explore play and the ways it encourages
learning, creativity, and discovery.
In 2010, Lella Gandini, the leading advocate for the Reggio
Emilia educational approach in the United States, traveled
to Rochester to visit Woodbury School and advise staff
about additional program development. (Read an interview
with Gandini in The Strong’s American Journal of Play,
Vol. 4, No. 1, at journalofplay.org.)
Gandini with
Woodbury School
students and
teachers during
her 2010 visit.
Since The Strong adopted a Reggio-inspired approach in 2006, the museum
has become a highly sought after resource for Reggio Emilia-inspired training
and benchmarking among professionals at public and private schools, early
childhood programs, and to pre-service teachers throughout the region. An
example is the museum’s engagement with Buffalo, New York’s Elmwood
Franklin School. The Strong delivered a custom-designed program for preschool
and elementary teachers and administrators to help deepen their understanding
of the Reggio Emilia approach and to identify ways Reggio principles can be
applied in their classrooms. Also, in March, when the Rochester Association for
the Education of Young Children held their Spring Seminar at The Strong,
the group included tours of the museum’s Woodbury School as an example
of Reggio Emilia implementation.
www.museumofplay.org
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Museum News
The Strong Board
Elects New Officers
The Strong is pleased to announce
the election of Steve Dubnik as
chairperson of its board of trustees.
Other officers for the 2014 term
include James Norman, vice
chairperson; Laura Saxby Lynch,
secretary; Matt Tipple, treasurer;
Zeke Duda, assistant treasurer; and
Joy Ryen Plotnik, Esq., immediate
past chairperson.
Beth Lathrop Named
Director of Libraries
Research Fellowships Program Expanded
The Strong is pleased to announce the newly established Mary Valentine and
Andrew Cosman Research Fellowships to support scholarly research about
games and related topics of play across The Strong’s artifact, archival, and other
historical collections. The fellowships are made possible by the Mary Valentine
and Andrew Cosman Trusts and provide a new source of financial support for
eligible academic professionals, independent scholars, museum scholars, and
advanced graduate students at the masters or doctorate level that can benefit
from on-site access to The Strong’s collections. The new fellowship program
complements The Strong Research Fellowships established in 2012.
Andrew Cosman was a lifelong game enthusiast whose passion began in the
fifth grade when a teacher gave him a copy of the game Rise and Decline of
the Third Reich to take home, learn, and return to teach the class. He went on
to become an avid and skilled collector and ultimately opened a game store
through which he was able to share with others his love for games of all genres,
from party to strategy, historical to current, board games to video games. His
wife Mary’s passion for card and board games began as a young child around
her family’s dining table. Throughout their years together, Andrew and Mary’s
collection grew extensively and through donation in 2013, they established the
Andrew Cosman-Mary Valentine Game Collection at The Strong. Recipients of
the Mary Valentine and Andrew Cosman Research Fellowships will benefit from
access to this extensive collection of more than 600 war, strategy, and other
types of complex games, as well as from thousands of other games, game
prototypes, and related objects and historical documents in The Strong’s
collections.
Strong Research Fellowships Awarded
Beth Lathrop has been hired as
director of libraries. She takes over
for Carol Sandler who retired in
August after nearly three decades
of service to The Strong.
Lathrop oversees The Strong’s Brian
Sutton-Smith Library and Archives
of Play, a 150,000-volume research
library, and its Grada Hopeman
Gelser Library, a museum-owned
mini-branch of the Rochester Public
Library. “The position of director of
libraries is critical to The Strong’s
mission in so many ways,” says
Christopher Bensch, vice president
for collections. “From acquiring and
preserving key historical materials
about play and its history to serving
internal and external researchers and
the public in general, Beth will lead
endeavors that advance the libraries’
collections, services, and visibility.”
Prior to joining The Strong, Lathrop
worked for more than four years at
the Geneva Public Library, where
she most recently served as its
executive director.
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PLAY Time • Spring 2014
During 2013, the museum’s Research Fellowship program provided financial
support for a dozen scholars from throughout the United States and Canada
to conduct research on-site in the museum’s unparalleled collections of
artifacts, publications, play-related records, and historical archives documenting
the history of play and playthings.
Four research fellows visited the museum recently. Joshua Unikel from the
University of Buffalo examined archival materials related to Tickle Me Elmo
for a book about Sesame Street. For a master’s thesis on the early years of
the digital, interactive entrainment industry, Christopher Darby from Seton
Hall University in New Jersey researched the video game industry from 1972
to 1987 with a focus on industry pioneers such as Ralph Baer, Nolan Bushnell,
and Shigeru Miyamoto. Rebecca Hernandez-Gerber from New York University
researched video game collecting and preservation methods to develop
strategies for collecting institutions. And Douglas Guerra, assistant professor
of literature and technology at the State University of New York at Oswego,
conducted research related to 19th-century games for an upcoming book
On the Move: Gaming Models for Literary Theory.
The Strong Featured in
State of the State Activities
Plans for The Strong’s future Toy Halls of Fame
gallery—one that combines its National Toy Hall
of Fame with the Toy Industry Association’s Toy
Industry Hall of Fame and opens in 2015—were
on display in Albany in January during concourse
activities leading up to Governor Cuomo’s State
of the State address. The museum was joined by the
Rochester region’s tourism agency, VisitRochester,
and other organizations the represent key Finger Lakes
Regional Economic Development Council initiatives.
The Strong’s Director of Public Relations, Shane
Rhinewald, appeared for the museum along with the
National Toy Hall of Fame’s King and Queen of Chess.
The museum’s King
and Queen of Chess with
Lisa Soto from I Love NY
(center).
Storytelling and story acting build vocabulary
skills, help develop essential narrative abilities,
and support a child’s social and emotional
development, according to a recent interview
in The Strong’s American Journal of Play
conducted with Jason Sachs, Benjamin Mardell,
and Marina Boni, creators and advocates of the
Boston Listens Program. The three educators
launched the program nearly two years ago
across Boston Public Schools, and 55 schools
now facilitate storytelling and story acting
curriculum in their early education classrooms.
Boston Listens—informed by the innovative
approach of renowned early childhood
researcher and educator Vivian Paley (see story below)—encourages
children to tell a story from his or her imagination. Storytelling allows
students to use vocabulary in authentic ways, increases confidence,
and fosters a sense of belonging in the classroom, says Mardell. The other
students in the classroom then act out the story, allowing them to come
together around a common goal and to learn from one another as they
attempt to retell the tale. According to Boni, sharing ideas with friends in
such a way boosts self esteem, encourages self-regulation (waiting, taking
turns), and enhances creativity.
Sachs, Mardell, and Boni cite several examples of students casting off
shyness and improving their narrative abilities within the first year of
participation in the program.
The educators see the positive results of Boston Listens as a model for
other districts nationwide. Says Mardell, “We hope that others will be
inspired by our work and realize that storytelling and story acting can be
used in a large, urban district to benefit all children.”
Additional articles in Vol. 6, No. 2 of the American Journal of Play focus
on such topics as the elements of play and uncovering the reasons why
humans play. The Journal can be read free of charge at journalofplay.org.
Print subscriptions are also available.
Toy Hall Coverage
Reaches Worldwide
Audiences
When the National Toy Hall of Fame
welcomed its newest inductees—chess
and rubber duck—in November, the
news made national headlines and
sparked conversations all over the
globe. The inductees were reported
on nearly 800 times during local
television and radio newscasts around
the country and were featured
prominently in nationally-televised
news and entertainment programs
including the Today Show, Good
Morning America, Live with Kelly and
Michael, and ABC World News with
Diane Sawyer. Nearly 5,800 online
and print articles—published by major
market media outlets such as Boston
Globe, Chicago Sun Times, Huffington
Post, New York Times, USAToday,
Wall Street Journal, and Washington
Times—generated more than three
billion additional impressions.
Museum News
Storytelling and Story Acting Promote
Literacy in Boston Public Schools
Also, as in previous years, social media
generated international buzz. More
than 5,900 worldwide Twitter users
posted content about the finalists, the
inductions, or inductees for a total
reach exceeding 15.4 million. Posts
from CBSNews, NPRNews, the Today
Show, Yahoo, SkyNews (London), and
the Los Angeles Times led the way.
Distinguished
Guests Welcomed
Paley Collection Informs
Early Childhood Research
Vivian Gussin Paley is a noted preschool and kindergarten teacher;
internationally renowned early childhood education researcher, writer,
and lecturer; and advocate for the importance of play for young children.
She has documented her work, methods, and beliefs in unique and
powerful fashion through 13 widely read and influential books, most of
which she wrote while teaching at the University of Chicago Laboratory
Schools. Most recently, her methods inspired and informed Boston Listens,
a storytelling and story-acting program offered by the Department of Early
Childhood at Boston Public Schools. (Read more in the American Journal
of Play Vol. 6, No. 2.)
The Vivian Gussin Paley Collection in The Strong’s Brian Sutton-Smith
Library and Archives of Play illuminates her distinguished career and is
available to scholars for research. Included are autographed copies of her
books (in English and in other languages); reviews of her books; reviews
by Paley of other books; articles by and about her; speeches; some
correspondence; clippings; items related to conferences, workshops,
and symposia; and audio-visual materials related to presentations.
Video game designer and producer Warren Spector
(left) tours The Strong. Pictured with ICHEG
Director Jon-Paul Dyson in eGameRevolution.
Gwen Gordon, (right) producer and director
of Now Playing, a creative documentary
about the power of play, tours The Strong
with Scott Eberle, The Strong’s vice
president for play studies.
www.museumofplay.org
11
Advancement
Out and About
Museum Thanks Corporate Partners
In November, Jon-Paul Dyson,
director of The Strong’s
International Center for the
History of Electronic Games,
discussed digital preservation at
the Association of Moving Image
Archivists annual conference in
Richmond, Virginia. In March, Dyson
spoke on video game preservation
at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto,
Japan and at the International
Game Studies Conference in Kyoto.
Businesses that make a financial contribution to The Strong’s Corporate Partners
Program provide meaningful support for the museum while receiving valuable
benefits for their employees, such as free-admission days, family passes, and
employee discounts on museum membership. To learn how your company can
participate, contact Katie Riley at 585-410-6368 or [email protected].
In December, Director of Public
Relations Shane Rhinewald was
awarded “Rookie of the Year” by
VisitRochester’s Visitor Industry
Council for his significant impact
on the council and Rochester-area
tourism in general.
Welcome to our newest corporate partner:
Skillsoft
Thank you to these corporate partners for renewing their memberships:
The Bonadio Group
Democrat & Chronicle
Brown & Brown of New York, Inc.
Hammer Packaging
Pepsi Beverages
Company
Jasco Tools, Inc.
Tasteful Connections
Chaintreuil | Jensen | Stark Architects, LLP
KPMG LLP
Toy Industry
Association
DelMonte Hotel Group
Messner Carpeting
Nixon Peabody LLP
Also in December, Vice President
for Marketing and Communications
Suzanne Seldes and Director of
Online and Graphic Media Services
Allison McGrath presented
“Managing Your Online Presence”
for Ad Council of Rochester.
Seldes joined Vice President
for Collections Chris Bensch in
February at Toy Fair and the Toy
Industry Hall of Fame awards in
New York City. Shops Manager
Jessica Silva also attended
Toy Fair.
Also in February, Jeremy Saucier,
assistant director for The Strong’s
International Center for the History
of Electronic Games, represented
the museum at the D.I.C.E (Design.
Innovate. Communicate. Entertain)
Summit in Las Vegas.
Debbie McCoy, director of early
childhood programs and Woodbury
School, presented “Supporting
Development with Play-Based
Curriculum” to early childhood
professionals at the Children’s
Center of Brighton in February.
Vice President for Play Studies
Scott Eberle’s “The Elements of
Play: Toward a Philosophy and a
Definition of Play” can be found
in the Winter 2014 issue of the
American Journal of Play.
Reindeer Run Benefits The Strong
Rainy weather didn’t deter the more than 1,800 runners—many sporting
antlers or other festive attire—who participated in the second annual
Reindeer Run in December to benefit The Strong. In addition to the all-ages
5K, the morning included a half mile kids’ race. The event, presented by
Fleet Feet Sports and YellowJacket Racing, raised $3,500 for museum
educational programs. Mark your calendars for the next Reindeer Run on
December 20, 2014!
NYSCA Grant Supports
Museum Programming
The New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) has awarded The Strong
$56,000 to support museum programming in 2014. NYSCA, a state agency, is
dedicated to preserving and expanding the rich and diverse cultural resources
of New York and broadening public access, appreciation, participation, and
education in the arts and culture throughout the state.
12 PLAY Time • Spring 2014
Bill Trib
elhorn
, muse
um m
embe
r since
1982
Bill Tribelhorn has been a supporter of The Strong since
1982. As a charter member, he was one of the first to rally
behind the museum. “I got in at the ground level,” says Bill.
But today, Bill is no longer at the ground level. In fact, he’s
in the basement—performing invaluable volunteer work for
The Strong.
“When I first started, we used professional black and
white film and made two print copies,” recalls Bill. Digital
photography not only improved the efficiency and quality
of the process, but also allowed the images to be posted
on The Strong’s website where anyone with Internet access
can now view more than 55,000 collections objects. On any given Thursday, you might find Bill in the collections
studio sorting through a mountain of rubber duckies, a
box of vintage yo-yos, or a vast assortment of electronic
games. As a collections photographer, he is responsible for
capturing an image of each item that the museum acquires.
And Bill has photographed most of those objects. “Since
the days of film photography, Bill has been an integral part
of the Collections Team, documenting tens-of-thousands of
incoming acquisitions,” says Vice President for Collections
Chris Bensch. Bill recalls one of his largest projects was
photographing an extensive
collection of Statue of Liberty
memorabilia donated by Iris
and Mort November of
Cleveland, Ohio.
Bill discovered his interest in
photography at the age of 10,
further developing his craft as
a member of his high school
camera club. He went on to
attend Trinity College and
served in an army ordinance
company in Belgium, France,
the Philippines, and Japan
during World War II. “I was
fortunate, really, to have seen
much of the world in relative
safety,” says Bill.
Advancement
Getting the Big Picture:
A Focused Supporter
“The little donations
I make are an investment
in The Strong’s future. ”
When he was discharged, Bill came to Rochester in hopes
of landing a job at Eastman Kodak and was hired by
the company’s paper service division. “That was George
Eastman’s Kodak,” he recalls, the perfect place for a man
with a passion for cameras and film.
Throughout his career, Bill was an active member of the
Kodak Camera Club and often exhibited his work in nature
and stereo slide salons. He became an associate of the
Photographic Society of America and also produced
several travel slide programs. After 37 years at Kodak,
Bill retired—but his passion for photography kept him
motivated and inspired.
“I was looking for volunteer work—something to
do with photography,“ he explains, “and The Strong
was just starting up. I was brought on as the assistant
to The Strong’s photographer, Don Strand. He was
my mentor. When he moved on, I took over the
accession photography.”
When asked what he loves most
about the museum, Bill promptly
quips, “My job of course,” but
then he becomes serious. “The
Strong is a leader in its field,” he
says. “The museum appeals to all
ages, not just children. There is
so much for adults—reminiscing about your own childhood
or seeing the pleasure of your kids or grandkids when you
bring them in.”
Maybe that’s why in addition to being a member since 1982,
and a volunteer for nearly as long, Bill is also an artifact and
financial donor to the museum. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve
appreciated how effective management and the staff are.
One of the most important reasons I’ve been at The Strong
is the fact that these folks highly value volunteers,” he
says. “The little donations I make are an investment in
The Strong’s future.” And Bill’s investment, as a volunteer
and a donor, makes an important difference to The Strong.
Visit museumofplay.org to view Bill’s photos and explore
The Strong’s digital online collections. To join Bill in
supporting the museum, visit museumofplay.org
to make a secure online donation.
www.museumofplay.org
13
Kids Page
Book Nook
The Strong is one of only a handful of museums in the nation to offer a circulating library. Children’s books, at all
reading levels, can be found in book nooks housed among the exhibits. Check out these featured works picked by
The Strong’s librarians:
Tell Me The Day Backwards
My Garden
by Albert Lamb, illustrated by
David McPhail
(for younger readers and caregivers)
by Kevin Henkes
(for younger readers)
A delightful bedtime read-aloud
with soft, detailed pictures. Timmy
tells his Mama Bear all about his
exciting day—but in reverse order
of occurrence—inspiring children to
do them same during their bedtime
routine. (This book is shelved in
Game Time!)
The award-winning Henkes
illustrates an imaginative garden
where jelly beans, seashells,
chocolate rabbits, and tomatoes
as big as beach balls grow. Happy
pictures inspire children to design
their own dream gardens. (This
book is shelved in the Nonsense
section of Reading Adventureland.)
Play These Games: 101
Delightful Diversions Using
Everyday Items
by Heather Swain
(for older readers)
Discover oodles of ingenious games
made from simple, everyday items
found around the house. From a
game of Go Fish using family photos
to a clothespin and cardboard box
version of pinball, there is something
to inspire every child. (This book is
shelved in Game Time!)
Find the Fluttering Fairies!
Can you spot the fairies in the image below created for The Strong by author Tracy Kane? Learn more about Tracy Kane’s
work during Fairy Houses Weekend at the museum June 7 and 8. See page 6 for details. And don’t miss The Fairy Houses
Tour at the Corn Hill Arts Festival July 12 and 13, followed by a display of the festival’s award-winning fairy houses at the
museum July 15 through 27.
14 PLAY Time • Spring 2014
Unless otherwise noted, events and character appearances
typically end by 4 p.m. and are free to members.
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Calendar of Events
Spring 2014
April 2014
SUN
APRIL
Saturday & Sunday, April 5 & 6
Superheroes Weekend
Saturday, April 12–Sunday, April 20
Animation April School-Break Week
Monday, April 28
Storytime Club
Zoom in for a hero-filled weekend featuring
Thor on Saturday and Iron Man on Sunday.
PBS’s WordGirl and Wonder Red appear all
weekend long.
See a unique display of animation
sketches and cels from The Strong’s
collections and explore the
Animation exhibit.
Celebrating Heroes: go on a literary
adventure! Have your Storytime Club
passport punched. Collect five punches
and receive a children’s book.
10:30 & 11:30 a.m.
Monday, April 7
Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6
Monday, April 21
Storytime Club
Animal Pals: enjoy playful animal songs and
activities, featuring books by Eric Carle.
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Celebrating Heroes: go on a literary
adventure! Have your Storytime Club
passport punched. Collect five punches
and receive a children’s book.
10:30 & 11:30 a.m.
MAY
Monday, May 5
Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6
Monday, May 12
Storytime Club
Monday, May 19
Storytime Club
Spring into Action: enjoy crafts, books,
and activities about gardening and the
spring season.
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Spring Fling: go on a literary adventure!
Have your Storytime Club passport
punched. Collect five punches and
receive a children’s book.
10:30 & 11:30 a.m.
Spring Fling: go on a literary adventure!
Have your Storytime Club passport
punched. Collect five punches and
receive a children’s book.
10:30 & 11:30 a.m.
Friday, May 16
Member Night with the Red Wings
Saturday, May 24
Exhibit Opening: Boardwalk Arcade
Cheer on the team as they play against the
Columbus Clippers and stay for fireworks.
7:05 p.m.
Discover classic seaside amusements
alongside modern arcade games. Enjoy
strolling and “pop-up” circus acts by
Flower City Vaudeville.
Saturday, May 10
Hometown Heroes
Meet first responders; check out a working
fire truck; take pictures with Siren, the
Livingston County Fire Dog; and more.
Don’t miss theater performances by
Allendale Columbia students.
Saturday, May 24
Exhibit Opening: Pinball Playfields
Play your way through the history of pinball
gaming and view rare pinball artifacts.
JUNE
Monday, June 2
Storytime Club
Monday, June 9
Monday Kicks for Ages 2 to 6
Summertime Tales: go on a literary
adventure! Have your Storytime Club
passport punched. Collect five punches
and receive a children’s book.
10:30 & 11:30 a.m.
Let’s Move! Let’s Play!: learn about the
importance of fitness with active games
and stories.
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, June 7 & 8
Fairy House Magic
Thursday, June 19
Museum Closing at 3 p.m.
Sunday, June 29
Member Night
with the Red Wings
Calendar
Cheer on the team as they play against the
Norfolk Tides.
1:05 p.m.
February 2013
SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT
3
4
5
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1
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8
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Meet Fairy Houses author Tracy Kane, learn
how to build a fairy house, dress up like a
pixie, and more.
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
The Strong is open Monday–Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday from
10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
The Strong closes at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 19.
24 25 26 27 28
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www.museumofplay.org
15
Nonprofit
Organization
US Postage
PAID
Rochester, NY
Permit No. 4144
One Manhattan Square
Rochester, NY 14607
The Strong® is a highly interactive museum devoted to the history and exploration of play. As a 501(c)(3)
not-for-profit educational organization, The Strong is funded in part by contributions and grants from
individuals, corporations, foundations, and state and federal entities. It is home to the International Center
for the History of Electronic Games, the National Toy Hall of Fame, the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and
Archives of Play, the Woodbury School, and the American Journal of Play and houses the world’s largest
and most comprehensive collection of historical materials related to play.
Museum Admission
General Admission (does not include admission to
Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden®): age 2 and older
$13.50, under age 2 free, museum members free.
Admission to Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden: $3 per
person for members, general admission fee plus $4
for non-members; children under age 2 free. Entry to
Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden is by reservation only.
Reservations may be made at the museum’s
admissions desk.
Board of Trustees
Maurin Anderson
David J. Burns
Timothy T. Conlon
Roberta DuBeshter
Steve Dubnik
Zeke Duda
Don H. Kollmorgen
Laura Saxby Lynch
Linda McGinley, EdD
William W. Napier
Aaron C. Newman
James H. Norman
Joy Ryen Plotnik, Esq
William D. Rice
Donald J. Riley
Fred W. Smith, PhD
Matthew Tipple
Jeff Valentine
John E. Van de Wetering, PhD
Mee F. Wing
The museum accepts Visa, MasterCard, American
Express, and Discover.
G. Rollie Adams, PhD
President and CEO
Admission rates and Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden
fees subject to change.
Parking
Limited free parking is available at the museum for all
guests on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Strong is supported with public funds from the Institute of
Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the New York State Council
on the Arts (NYSCA), a State agency. The Strong is accredited by
the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), and is an institutional
member of AAM, the American Association for State and Local History
(AASLH), the Association of Children’s Museums (ACM), and the
Museum Association of New York (MANY).
Please note that, on high visitation days, the museum
lot may reach capacity early in the day. If space is
not available on site at the time of your visit, you will
find additional parking (fees apply) at neighboring
municipal garages.
The Strong is a United Way donor designation agency (ID#2556)
Museum Hours
Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
The museum closes at 3 p.m. on Thursday, June 19.
Museum Garners Local,
Regional, and
National Acclaim
DINING
The museum offers a variety of dining options
including Pizza Hut Express, Taco Bell Express,
Subway, Louie’s Sweet Shoppe, and Bill Gray’s
Restaurant. Visit museumofplay.org for hours
and information.
For the 12th year in a row, readers of
the Democrat and Chronicle named
The Strong the gold standard for best museum
in Rochester. And for the 10th year in a row, the
museum was distinguished as the top place to take kids and favorite
kid-friendly museum by readers of KidsOutandAbout.com. Additionally,
Rochester’s City Newspaper readers have named The Strong Rochester’s
best family-friendly attraction.
Recent national and regional distinctions include being named one of the
10 best museums for families in the United States by readers of USAToday;
highest honors from TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel website; a “Best Spot
in the City” designation from online review site Yelp.com; and the “Best Family
Day Trip” as determined by readers of Family Times in Syracuse. Additionally,
BuzzFeed, a website that reaches more than 80 million unique visitors per month,
included The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame in its list of 19 Places That Make
Your Kids Dreams Come True.
On weekends, holidays, and during school breaks,
dining tables and chairs are reserved for restaurant
customers only.
Information
Telephone: 585-263-2700
Website: museumofplay.org
PLAY Time
Editor: Kelly Murphy Lucyszyn
Contributing Writers and Photographers: Kim Della
Porta, Lisa Feinstein, Barbara Fulford, Jonathan Groff,
Kelly Murphy Lucyszyn, Shane Rhinewald, Katie Riley,
Suzanne Seldes, Jeremy Steinkamp, Bill Tribelhorn
Art Director: Niki Kruger, Zimmet Group
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